What's Up In The Missouri Valley: What's Up In The Missouri Valley 9/27/2018

https://www.courierpress.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2018/09/20/iu-basketball-purdue-butler-notre-dame-college-basketball-preview-romeo-langford/1342216002/--Evansville Courier & Press

Mid majors
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Evansville

The Purple Aces are in for a total rebuild with new coach Walter McCarty, viewed as no better than 9th in the 10-team Missouri Valley. Freshman DeAndre Williams is intriguing.

Indiana State

The Sycamores are a mid-level MVC team (5th, L; 7th, A and SS) led by exciting scorer Jordan Barnes. Newcomer Cooper Neese and Iowa transfer Christian Williams may help. Athlon lists Greg Lansing as a coach on the hot seat.
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Valparaiso

The Crusaders' second year in the MVC shouldn't be as tough as their first. They are predicted to finish 7th (L), 6th (A) or 5th (SS). Bakari Evelyn and Markus Golder are the top returnees, and Ryan Fazekas is a sharpshooting transfer from Providence.

Preseason Mid-Major All-Americans--College Basketball Talk

SECOND TEAM
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G CLAYTON CUSTER, Loyola-Chicago

The reigning Larry Bird Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year winner, Custer’s back for one final run after helping lead the Ramblers to the program’s first Final Four appearance since 1963. Custer may not have the eye-popping stats that some of the other players on this list possess (Loyola ranking 307th in adjusted tempo had a lot to do with that) but don’t let that fool you; the redshirt senior gets the job done in a variety of ways for Porter Moser’s team. Last season Custer averaged 13.2 points and 4.1 assists per game, shooting 52.8 percent from the field, 45.1 percent from three and 77.0 percent from the foul line.
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Clayton Custer (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

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THIRD TEAM
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G MILIK YARBROUGH, Illinois State

Due to some offseason legal issues there were some questions regarding Yarbrough’s status for the upcoming season. However Yarbrough, who was suspended indefinitely in mid-September, participated in the Redbirds’ first practice of the season and based upon Dan Muller’s post-practice comments the redshirt senior appears OK to play. In Yarbrough the Redbirds have the player best equipped to unseat Loyola’s Clayton Custer as Larry Bird Missouri Valley Player of the Year, as he’s coming off of a season in which he averaged 16.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.
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FOURTH TEAM
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F PHIL FAYNE, Illinois State

The aforementioned Yarbrough doesn’t lack for help on an Illinois State squad that has the pieces needed to dethrone Loyola in the Missouri Valley, with Fayne being the Redbirds’ top option in the front court. Last season the 6-foot-9, 220-pound forward averaged 15.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, shooting 59.5 percent from the field. A second team all-conference selection, Fayne merits serious consideration for preseason first team All-Valley.
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HONORABLE MENTION
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Armon Fletcher, Southern Illinois

Preseason Mid-Major Power Rankings--College Basketball Talk

Teams outside of the power conferences had a noticeable impact on the 2017-18 season, including UMBC becoming the first 16-seed to beat a 1-seed in the NCAA tournament and Loyola-Chicago winning 32 games and reaching the Final Four.
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3. LOYOLA-CHICAGO

While the Ramblers are best known for their run through the NCAA tournament, reaching the Final Four for the first time since 1963, the fact of the matter is that Porter Moser’s bunch was darn good all season long. Loyola won the Missouri Valley regular season title by four games, and by the time their season was complete the Ramblers had amassed a school-record 32 wins. A stingy defense and a balanced offense were the keys, and the question now is what will Loyola do for an encore.

Reigning Larry Bird Missouri Valley Player of the Year Clayton Custer (13.2 ppg, 4.1 apg) is back, as is fellow senior Marques Townes (11.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg) and sophomores Cameron Krutwig and Lucas Williamson. That quartet will have to help account for the loss of two seniors who averaged 11.0 points per game last season (Donte Ingram and Aundre Jackson) and the Valley’s top defender in Ben Richardson. Loyola’s path to another Valley title won’t be an easy one, as the competition has improved, but they’re capable of repeating.

Porter Moser (Chris Covatta/Getty Images)

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5. SOUTHERN ILLINOIS

After finishing below .500 in each of Barry Hinson’s first three seasons in Carbondale, the Salukis have won 22, 17 and 20 games in each of the last three years. And with all five starters back from a team that finished second in the Missouri Valley, SIU is capable of reaching the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2007. Three seniors, led by guard Armon Fletcher, averaged at least 12.1 points per game last season and junior guard Aaron Cook wasn’t far off with an average of 9.8 points per.

The one thing to watch with this group is the progress of senior center Thik Bol, who averaged 9.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game in 2016-17. Bol missed all of last season with a knee injury that ultimately required two surgical procedures (addressing different issues on the same knee), the second of which occurred in July. His ability to rebound and block shots make the 6-foot-8 senior a valued member of the rotation, but the question is just how much can Bol give them. SIU will still be a factor in the Valley if Bol is severely limited, but his return makes this group that much better if he can go.
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7. ILLINOIS STATE

Like Loyola and SIU, Dan Muller’s Redbirds should be a major factor in the Missouri Valley race. Last season Illinois State went 18-15, 10-8 in conference play, but with four starters having returned this should be a team that can make a case to be considered the preseason favorite. Senior forward Milik Yarbrough was a first team all-conference selection last season, as he averaged 16.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game, and fellow senior Phil Fayne was a second team all-conference selection. Fellow starters Keyshawn Evans and William Tinsley are also back for the Redbirds, who have the talent and experience needed to reach the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1998.

Backcourt Leaders--Valley Hoops Insider

Bradley gets commitment from Memphis point guard Antonio Thomas--Peoria Journal Star
Bradley announces dates for preseason events--Peoria Journal Star
Bradley gets commitment from guard Jamir Price of Rock Island--Peoria Journal Star
Basketball Mini Packs & Group Tickets Now On Sale!--bradleybraves.com
Basketball Announces Preseason Events Schedule--bradleybraves.com

Standing With the Woodleys--Valley Hoops Insider
Men’s Basketball To Host Blue/White Game Sunday, Oct. 7--godrakebulldogs.com

Women's Basketball Hosts Annual One-on-One event Tuesday, Oct. 16 at the Knapp Center--godrakebulldogs.com

Know Your Non-conference Opponent: Evansville--Banners On The Parkway
Walter McCarty's final Coaches Caravan signals end of honeymoon period--Evansville Courier Press
Here's what the preseason college 🏀 mags are saying about UE, former SIAC standouts--Evansville Courier Press
Here's a refresher on a whirlwind of an offseason for Evansville basketball--Evansville Courier Press
Artur Labinowicz adjusting to life in the Midwest--gopurpleaces.com
ACES INSIDER - UE Men's Basketball tips off first team practice under Walter McCarty--gopurpleaces.com

Brooke Bishop hopes to inspire as return to court approaches--gopurpleaces.com

Muller still evaluating Yarbrough status ahead of first practice--The Pantagraph
Yarbrough on court at Redbirds' first official practice--The Pantagraph
Yarbrough's status 'TBD' for practices--Vidette Online
ISU men's basketball begin practices, Yarbrough a full go--Vidette Online
Men’s Basketball Announces Three Ticket Plans for 2018-19--goredbirds.com
Redbirds Kick Off 2018-19 Season with Morning Practice--goredbirds.com

ISU women seek 'next step' in Gillespie's second season--The Pantagraph
Women’s Basketball Flex Pack Tickets Available Today--goredbirds.com

Holston is part of ISU's evolution on fifth-year transfers--Terre Haute Tribune Star
TODD AARON GOLDEN: Rest of the Valley is moving forward, ISU can’t stand pat--Terre Haute Tribune Star
Exhibition vs. Rose-Hulman among final additions to ISU men's basketball schedule--Terre Haute Tribune Star
Sycamores add 'true power forward' from prep school ranks--Terre Haute Tribune Star
Sycamore Basketball Golf Outing & Reception Set For Thursday & Friday--gosycamores.com
Sycamore Basketball Hits St. Louis For #MVCTipoff--gosycamores.com
Sycamores Add Three Home Games To Complete 2018-19 Schedule--gosycamores.com
Sycamore Basketball Reception & Golf Outing Is Huge Success--gosycamores.com
Sycamore Basketball Practice Updates 2018--gosycamores.com

Redefinition is the word for the Sycamores, MVC--Terre Haute Tribune Star--gosycamores.com
Indiana State Women’s Basketball Practice Begins Friday

College Basketball Preseason Top 25--College Basketball Talk

THE SEVEN THAT JUST MISSED:

26. Loyola-Chicago

This season’s top 20 non-conference games--College Basketball Talk

8. NEVADA at LOYOLA-CHICAGO, November 27 (Missouri Valley/Mountain West Challenge Series)

The Wolf Pack and Ramblers produced one of the best games in last season’s NCAA tournament, with Loyola winning the Sweet 16 matchup 69-68 on the way to the program’s first Final Four appearance since 1963. The rematch will be staged in Chicago, and Nevada begins the season as not only the favorite to win the Mountain West but a trendy Final Four pick as well. As for Loyola, Clayton Custer and company are once again the favorites in the Missouri Valley, but the struggles in putting together their non-conference schedule makes this matchup a critical one should the Ramblers not win the automatic bid.

Early returns: Nevada, Gonzaga, and Loyola see recognition in preseason polls--Mid-Major Madness

Loyola University Chicago Ramblers

Average Rank: N/A

Individual: ESPN (19), Athlon (25), NBC (just missed — 26)

It figured there was, if nothing else, enough shine still on the Ramblers to land them on a few lists. And that’s not unreasonable, as Porter Morter returns the MVC POY in Clayton Custer, the team’s second-leading scorer in Marques Townes and quite possibly the league’s best big man in Cameron Krutwig. Approximating the country’s 17th-most efficient defense will be a challenge without Donte Ingram and Ben Richardson, but Loyola wasn’t left with an empty cupboard.

Loyola’s ‘Best Athlete’ Uguak Ready for First Season After Transfer--Loyola Phoenix
Column: Three Little Wolves Commit to Maintain Loyola’s Success--Loyola Phoenix